Jiaolong [2 x 12"] (LP)

Daphni

Amoeba Review

Dan Snaith, a.k.a. Caribou, showed us he's got an ear for more than just pretty indie-tronica, with this collection of tunes melding African music, funk, and modular synth freakouts.

10/15/2012

Dan Snaith’s first release under the Daphni moniker (after years releasing brilliant, electronically based pop as Manitoba and then Caribou) finds Snaith indulging in some serious dance leanings — “serious” as in this is intellectually constructed electronic music as good for poring over via headphones and “serious” as in tracks like the soul-loop based “Yes, I Know” could turn a crowd of Caribou-loving head bobbers into a pool of sweaty dancing fools. His remix of Analog Africa rarity “Ne Noya” by Cos-Ber-Zam builds a sparkling trance out of its foundation material. “Ye Ye” similarly sparkles but takes off with a throbbing beat underneath it and dirty, dubby synths on top. The trick to Snaith’s analog-synth techno as Daphni is that he allows for some of the melodic beauty he’s known for in Caribou to bubble up under the beats, such as the droney synths that carry “Ahora” into majestic territory. JIALONG shows Snaith can venture into new territory with his sound without sacrificing the quality upon which he’s built his name.